Question : Coolant Leaking... Help?

[PCGUY112887]

So I noticed a puddle starting to form where I parked the other day, I check it out and I am leaking coolant. It's dripping down from the rear/pass side of the engine bay, and I can't see any lines that it's coming from. I have lost about a quart in the overflow tank over I guess a few days of good driving at least, not sure when it started.

What else is back there? I described this to a friend and he said maybe a cracked block... now I am freaking out.

[PCGUY112887]

OK it looks like it MAY be coming out of this little rubber elbow off the firewall. I found it dripping down off the twisted stock tranny cooler lines, then right above it dripping off from the cruddy looking power steering line. I looked above the line and found nothing leaking, aside from this elbow which looked a bit wet on the bottom, I shoved my finger into it and found the same greasy liquid as I have found dripping, like coolant.

I forgot what exactly this elbow does but in a way, I feel like it may have sprayed before, even before I got the car. As you can see in this pic, the power steering lines are very nasty and so is the sub frame right below them. I have never found a power steering leak (which is what I thought it all was from) but even though I wiped these lines off when putting the engine in, they became nasty/dirty/greasy again.

FYI it has been very hot here lately, and this is my builds first full summer. The past few weeks I have seen the temp guage higher than I ever have (a normal amount, just never seen it since I finished last fall).

[IanSzgatti]

OK it looks like it MAY be coming out of this little rubber elbow off the firewall. I found it dripping down off the twisted stock tranny cooler lines, then right above it dripping off from the cruddy looking power steering line. I looked above the line and found nothing leaking, aside from this elbow which looked a bit wet on the bottom, I shoved my finger into it and found the same greasy liquid as I have found dripping, like coolant.

I forgot what exactly this elbow does but in a way, I feel like it may have sprayed before, even before I got the car. As you can see in this pic, the power steering lines are very nasty and so is the sub frame right below them. I have never found a power steering leak (which is what I thought it all was from) but even though I wiped these lines off when putting the engine in, they became nasty/dirty/greasy again.

FYI it has been very hot here lately, and this is my builds first full summer. The past few weeks I have seen the temp guage higher than I ever have (a normal amount, just never seen it since I finished last fall).

so you need a heater core

[PCGUY112887]

That's what I'm told. How hard is it to get to?

[IanSzgatti]

hardest part would be getting the connectors of the lines... just follow your nose, you can do it.

[IsaacHayes]

Heater core if stock are plastic lines. Those usually break off anyway. Mine did and dumped all the coolant at once in a big steam cloud one night in the drive through at mcdonalds right as I got my food and rolled away. Pulled right over and shut it off. Clamped both lines shut and filled up and drove home, but ruined my plans for that night.

Aftermarket are all metal so that's good.

You disconnect the lines, then go under your dash in the center and take off this access panel and you'll see it. A bitch to get to, you may want to remove the center console, but be prepared for a shoulder and neck ache doing this job.

That tube is the catch tray drain. It catches the evap core condensation and also the heater core's coolant if it leaks/goes.

[Z26-T]

Walked outside to drive home from work, ended up pulling the car into the shop and lifting it up to see the problem . Broke off a piece of the heater core inlet, put it between the lines and put new hose clamps on it. My "heater core delete". Used that for a couple weeks before I put a new heater core in. GM replacement heater cores are also all metal . Just don't forget to twist the lines to look like the one you pull out . (by twist I mean rotate the inlet/outlet.)

[PCGUY112887]

It's with my mechanic today for him to fix, I can't fit under my dash that well, it's not worth my time doing when he can do it so much faster and easier!

Thanks guys.

[bszopi]

Did you get a price quote before they started? After the $1200 bill to change out the heater core in my Blazer a few years back, when it went in my Beretta, I opted to change it out myself.

[PCGUY112887]

I did but no need really, my mechanic is like my friend now

[3400-95-Modified]

Eeek... that reminds me... I still have stock plastic lines in my pink car on the heater core...

Damnit, I know that will go soon.

[PCGUY112887]

I asked about the plastic lines... he said mine had all metal. I was like what? He showed me, it was all metal. Maybe this is a replacement heater core and it leaked too?

[IsaacHayes]

I had one leak when I was messing around looking for the water leak from rain water, and mine started seeping, pulled it out and compared it to a new one (cause I lost my receipt, and I had too many things ordered on the account I purchased with to search) and the one that was leaking was only crimped 2 places, and the new one was in 4 places. That's where it was leaking..

They can also corrode out. My friends 93 intrepid was corroded out and leaking in the fin section (could smell it when the heater was on). His was all metal.

[merlot566jka]

they can get clogged and start to leak. yeah, it sux.

make sure you use distilled water when filling the rad. that will prevent some scale build up. and be sure to flush ur coolant system once a year.

other than that, not much you can do to prevent that kinda thing